Chance controlled game apparatus



Feb. 23, 1965 BANKS ETAL 3,170,697

CHANCE CONTROLLED GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 17, 1962 O G 2 FIG. I LOSERS BOARD FIG-3 FIG-4 FIG.2

9 I8 0 0 28 6 22 625v (g 96 F 0 G *1 1/55 I? 30 I3 23 2| DRAWING BOARD r @1 H65 I a a 9 9 lg I9 22 20 I9 21 m m l H96 H68 FIG. 9

INVENTORS ALBERTA L BANKS BY OLIVER BANKS,JR.

T TOR EY 3,170,697 CHANCE CONTROLLED GAME APPARATUS Alberta L. Banks and Oliver Banks, Jr., both of 478 Oliver St. NW., Atlanta 13, Ga.

. Filed Jan. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 166,812

-6 Claims.- (Cl. 273-135) This invention relates to a new and improved game and more particularly, to an apparatus for playing an interesting and challenging chance controlled game.

The game apparatus is comprised of .a plurality of playing boards and playing pieces which may be used to play not only the game described herein, but other interesting and challenging games. The playing boards utilized are of three types. One type is the player boardrand inthe specific embodiment of the invention described herein eight playing boards of this type are used. The player fboards'have a plurality of recesses in their playing surfaces into which players place numbered playing pieces alternately selected by chance from a stack of playing pieces. Since some of the playing pieces carry numbers of different magnitude, the purpose of each player is to obtain playing pieces which will total the highest score at the end of a game. This playerpu'rpose is compli cated and made more interesting and challenging by the fact that certain playing pieces are penalty pieces and certain playing pieces are bonus pieces.

Some of the penalty pieces are major penalty pieces andrequire the player selecting such a playing piece by chance from the stack of playing pieces to remove one. or more of his playing pieces from his player board. Other penalty pieces are minor penalty pieces and their chance selection will simply result in the player being required to subtract a certain specified amount from his total score at the end of a game. On the other hand, the-bonuspieces will permit the player obtaining them bychance from the stack of playing pieces to add a speci-. fied amount to his total score at the end of a game.

The losersboard is the second type of playing. board and is somewhat similarhto a player board in that it also has recesses in its playing surface into which playing pieces'are placed. The losers board is the playing boar d inwhich pieces which have been'removed from a player board are placed because a player has drawn a major penalty piece from the stack of playing pieces. If the total score of the losers board at the end of agame is greater than that of any player board, noneof the players is declared winner of the game and appropriate penalties may be'specified. In some-situations, the player having a particular player board may'have the option of using his player board total score or that of the losers board. In order to provide for the assignment in these situations of a particular player board to a particular player on a chance basis, the third type of playing board is provided. This'third type of playi ng board is the drawing board from the recesses of which players draw playing pieces numbered to correspond" to various player boards. The

drawing board also has aspecial recess in which a bonus button is placed and at the value of which players guess.

in order to be able to add its value to their total score at the end of a game if its value is correctly guessed.

' These and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed descrip FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of one of the plurality of player boards and shows the twelve playing recsses into which playing pieces are placed during the course of a game and the bonus recess into which the bonus 3,170,693 Patented Feb. 23, 1965 button is placed it the player has correctly guessed its value.

FIGURE 2 is a section view of one of the plurality of player boards taken in line 2-2 in FIGURE 1 and shows the nature of the playing recesses into which playing pieces are placed during the playing of a game.

FIGURE 3 is a top planview of the losers board and shows the twelve playing recesses into which scoring pieces are placed when a player draws a major penalty plece.

FIGURE 4 is a section view of the losers board taken in line 44 in FIGURE '3 and shows the nature of the playing recesses into which scoring pieces are placed.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the drawing board and shows the eight circular recesses into which round playing pieces are placed and the square recess into which one of the scoring pieces is placed so that the players may guess at its value.

FIGURE 6 is a section view of the drawing board taken in line 6-6 in FIGURE 5 and shows the nature of the square recess and circular recesses in the drawing board.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the various playing pieces and shows the five groups of square playing pieces, specifically a major penalty piece, a double major penalty piece, two' of the ninety-six scoring pieces numbered 1 through 96. respectively, a bonus piece, and a minor penalty piece; and one of the eight round playing pieces.

FIGURE 8 is a section view of one of the square playing pieces taken in line 88 in FIGURE 7 and shows the thickness of the square playing pieces as compared to the nature of the square recesses shown in FIGURE 2, 4, and 6.

FIGURE 9 is a section view of one of the round playingpieces taken in line 9-9 in FIGURE 7 and shows the thickness of the round playing pieces as compared to the nature of the circular recesses shown in FIGURE 6.

These drawings and the following detailed description disclose a preferred specific embodiment of the invention, but the invention is not limited to the details disclosed, since it may be embodied in other equivalent forms.

- As noted abovef'the game apparatus is comprised of three types of playing boards and the game apparatus is most easily understood by first considering the first type of playing board, the player banana A plurality of player boards 10 is provided and each player board 10 J is substantially identical'tbie'very other player boardltl.

Specifically, each player board 10 has twelve playing re:

' cesses 11 arranged in rows in its playing surface 12. Each playing recess 11 is square in outline and its sidesaresufliciently long and its depth sufiiciently less than the r thickness of the squar'e playing pieces 13 for a square playing piece 13 to be easily inserted or removed; In addi bears a different identifying number 15 on its playing surface 12; for example, whereeight player boards 10 are used, the player boards It) will respectively bear 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 600, 400 and 500 as identifying'number's 15. This numbering of the player boards 10 enables the player boards :10 to be distinguished from each other for reasons,

which will later become apparent. I

The losers board 16 is the second type of-playing board and is somewhat similar to the player boards 10 in that C it has twelve playing recesses 11 in its playing surface 17 which are substantially identical in outline and depth to. the playing recesses '11 in each player board 10. However,

the losers board 16 diifers from the player boards. 10 in that it does not have a bonus recess 14 and the twelve a playing recesses 11 which it has are arranged in a circle. Thus, the losers board 16 is readily distinguishable from the player boards 10.

The third type of playing board, the drawing board 18, is distinguishable from both the player boards and the losers board 16 since the drawing board 18 has circular recesses 19, rather than square recesses 11, in its playing surface 20. These circular recesses 19 in the drawing board 18 are eight in number and each circular recess 18 is of sufficient diameter and depth to permit a round playing piece 21 to be readily inserted and removed. In addition to the eight circular recesses 19, the drawing board '18 also has one square recess 22 which is substantially identical in outline and depth to the playing recesses 11 in each player board 10.

As suggested above, the playing pieces are of two basic types, square playing pieces 13 and round playing pieces 21. The round playing pieces 21 are eight in number and carry indicating numbers 23 corresponding to the identifying numbers on the player boards 10 described above. More Specifically, the eight round playing pieces 21 carry the numbers 70, 80, .90, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 as indicating numbers 23 on their faces 25. The square playing pieces 13 are adapted to be used for a variety of purposes and are more numerous and of greater variety than the round playing pieces 21.

One group of square playing pieces 13 are known as major penalty pieces 24 and carry no notation whatsoever on a face 25 of some suitable neutral color such as white. In the specific embodiment of the game described herein eight of these major penalty pieces 24 are used in a manner which will become apparent. A second group of square playing pieces 13 are known as double major penalty pieces 26 and carry the notation zero on a face 25 of preferably the same color as that of the major penalty pieces 24. Similarly, in the specific embodiment of the game apparatus described herein, eight of these double major penalty pieces 26 are used. a

The third group of square playing pieces 13 are "the scoring pieces 28 and the group is comprised of ninety-six scoring pieces 28 having faces 25 of a neutral color such as white, but numbered respectively 1 through 96 on their faces 25. A fourth group of square playing pieces 13'are. the bonus pieces 29, a group of ten square playing pieces 13 having faces 25 colored green or some other suitable color so as to be readily distinguishable from all other square playing pieces 13 and carrying no numbers or other notations on their faces 25. The fifth and last group of square playing pieces'13 are the minor penalty pieces 30, a group of ten square playing pieces 13 having faces 25 colored red or some other suitable color so as to be readily distinguishable from all other square playing pieces 13 and carrying no numbers or other notations on their faces 25.

The specific embodiment of the game to be played with these different groups of square playing pieces 13, the round playing pieces 21, and the three types of playing boards 10, 16 and 18 is a game played by eight or less players with each player using one of the player boards '10. The specific player board 10 which each player uses is determined by placing the eight round playing pieces 21 with their faces 25 down in the eight circular recesses 19 of the drawing board 18 so that one round playing piece 21 cannot be distinguished from another, by each player removing one of the round playing pieces 21 from the drawing board '18, and by each player taking the player board '10 having the identifying number 15 corresponding to the indicating number 23 on the round playing piece 21 which he removed.

In addition to being used in the manner described above, the drawing board 18 also has one of the scoring pieces 28 placed in its single square recess. The particular scoring piece .28, called the bonus button, is selected at random from the entire group of scoring pieces 28 and is placed face 25 down in the square recess 22 of the drawing board 18 so that no player knows its value between 1 and 96.

After all the players have selected their player board 10 in the manner described above, each player guesses at the value of the scoring piece 28 in the square recess 22 of the drawing board :18. If any player correctly identifies the value of the scoring piece 28 in the square recess 22 of the drawing board 18, that player is permitted to place this particular scoring piece 28 in the bonus recess '14 of his player board 10 and to add its value to the total value of the scoring pieces 28 which he subsequently places in the playing recesses 11 of his player board 10.

Scoring pieces 28 are placed in the twelve playing recesses 11 of each player board 10 by placing all of the scoring pieces 28 face 25 down in a pile and by each player alternately drawing one of the scoring pieces'28 and placing it in one of the playing recesses 11 of his player board 10. The minor penalty pieces 30, the major penalty pieces 24, the double major penalty pieces 26 and the bonus pieces 29 are also placed face 25 down and inter-mingled with the scoring pieces 28. Since all of these groups 24, 26, 28, 29 and 30 of square pla'ying pieces 13 are identical except for their faces 25, the players can not distinguish one square playing piece 13 from another. Thus, as a player attempts to draw a scoring piece 28, he may draw instead one of the various penalty pieces 24, 26, or 30 or a bonus piece 29.

If theplayer draws a major penalty piece 24, he is required to place the major penalty piece 24 in one of the playing recesses 11 of his player board 10, remove the highest numbered scoring piece 28 which he has on his playing board 10 and place this scoring piece 28 in one of the playing recesses 11 of the losers board 16. If the player draws a double major penalty piece 26, the player is required to place the double major penalty piece 26 in one of the playing recesses 11 in his player board 10, remove the two highest numbered scoring pieces 28 from his player board 10 and place these two scoring pieces 28 in the playing recesses 11 of the losers board 16. In the event a player draws a major penalty piece 24 or double major penalty piece 26 before he has drawn at least one or two scoring pieces 28 as the case may be, the player is required to place the first scoring piece 28 or the first two scoring pieces 28 which he draws in the playing recesses 11 of the losers board 16 rather than in the playing recesses 11 of his player board 10.

When a player draws a bonus 'piece 29 rather than one of the scoring pieces 28, the player places the bonus piece 29 in one of the playing recesses 11 of his player board 10 and. at the end of a game is entitled to assign to the bonus piece 29 the value of the highest numbered scoring piece 28 on his player board 10. If a player draws a minor penalty piece 30,'the player places the minor penalty piece 30 in a playing recess 11 of his player board 10 and must subtract a specific amount such as ten from his score at the end of a game.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a game to be played with the game apparatus described herein is comprised of each player using the drawing board 18 and the round playing pieces 21 to select by chance one of eight player boards 10; guessing at the value of a scoring piece 28 on the drawing board 78 so as to be able to add this value to his score if correctly guessed; alternately drawing square playing pieces 13 by chance from a stack of scoring pieces 28, bonus pieces 29, or penalty pieces 24, 26, and 30; removing scoring pieces 28 when major penalty pieces 24 and 26 are drawn; and adding of subtracting the values of the scoring pieces 28, bonus pieces 29 or minor penalty pieces 30 in the playing recesses 11 of his player board 10 after a player has filled the twelve playing recesses 11 in his player'board 10 with square playing pieces 13. It should be noted that the effect of the major penalty pieces 24 and double major penalty pieces 26 in requiring a player to place a specified number of his scoring pieces 28 in the playing recesses 11 of the losers board 16 is to cause the losers board 16 to have a score of its own. The player having the master player board 10, which is the player board 10 acers.

tually in use having the highest identifying number 15, is entitled to use the score of his player board or the score of the losers board 16. Thus, it can be seen the particular player board 10 drawn by each player becomes significant since the player Who has drawn the master player board 10 has tWo opportunities to win a game by having the highest score. 7

It has been found that a game played with thegame apparatus described is most interesting when the Winner is considered to be that player which first-wins four points and when apoint is assigned to the player holding the player boardlt) having the highest total score at the end of a game. When this method of winning is followed,

it is apparent that the score of the losers board 16 may be substituted for the score of the master playerboard 10 at the option of the player holding the master player board 10 or may be assigned to no player so as to make it more difiicult for any player to obtain the necessary four points.

Regardless of the specific criteria used to determine the winner and regardless of the specific use made of the losers board 16 score, it is readily apparent that the foregoing described game apparatus permits an interesting and challenging game to be played by two or more play- Moreover, the principles of the game described and the game apparatus are such that many game variations are possibleand each variation will be equally entertaining and challenging. Moreover, it should be emphasized that althoughthe playing boards 19, 16 and 18 having the recesses 11, 14, 19 and'22 in their playing surfaces 12, 17, and 20 disclose one appropriate construction of the playing boards 10,16 and 18, the specifioconstruction details may vary. For example, playing boards 10, 16 andllS having recesses 11, 14, 19, and 22 replaced by spaces or areas printed on their playing surfaces 12, 17, and 20 would permit the same interestingiand challenging games to be played. I i

What is claimed as invention is: v

1. Game apparatus comprising, in combination, a plurality of player boards, each player board having an 1 identifying number and each player board having a plurality of square playing recesses and a square bonus. recess; losers'board having a plurality of square playing recesses; a ,drawingboard' having a square recess similar to the square playing recesses ofj'each player board, and a plurality of circular recesses; a plurality of round playing pieces, each round playing piece bearing on its face an indicating number corresponding to the identifying number on one ofthe plurality of player v boards and each round playing piece being small enough to be readily inserted into and removed from one of the plurality of circular recesses, in the drawing board; a

1 boards, each of said player boards having a plurality ofv recesses therein, chance means for determining which plurality of square playing. pieces, each square playing I piece being small enough to be readily inserted intoflan'd removed from the square recesses in the player boards,

tionable at any of the specific locations on the playing surface of any of the plurality of player boards or of the losers board, and each playing piece being readily iden-' tifiable as either a major penalty piece, a double major penalty piece, a minor penalty piece, a bonus piece, or as a scoring piece bearing a numerical indicationof its I V r the losers board, and the drawing board, and each square 7 playing piece being readily identifiable asbelonging'to 7 value; and chance means for determining when a playing piece is to be placed on one of said player boards and when one of said playing pieces is to be placed on said losers board. v

3. Game apparatus comprising, in combination, a plurality of player boards, each player board having specific locations marked on its playing surface; a losers board having specific locations marked on its playing surface;

a first plurality of playing pieces, each playing piece being shaped so as to be positionable at any of the specific locations on the playing surface-of any player board or of the losers board and each playing piece being distinguishable from other playing pieces only when itsface is viewed; chance means for determining which player will use each .of said player boards, said chance means including a drawing board having specific locations marked on its playing surface; and a second plurality of playing pieces,

any one of said second plurality of playing pieces being positionable at any one of the specific locations on said drawing board.

4. A game apparatus including a plurality of player boards, chance means for determining whichplayer will receive each 'of said player boards, said player boards having a plurality of recesses therein, a plurality of playing pieces, any one of said playing pieces being receivable into any one of the recesses inany one of said player boards, a losers board, said losers board having a plu- Y rality of recesses therein so arranged that said losers board is readily distinguishable from said player boards,

eachofthe recesses in said losers board being of such dimensions as to receive any one of said playing pieces, and chance means for determining when one of said'playing pieces is to be placed in a recess on a player board and when one of'said playing pieces is to be placed in' .35"

said losers board.-

- 5. A game apparatus'including a plurality of player player will use each of said player boards; a plurality of playing pieces, anyone of said playingpieces being receivable in any one-of ,said recesses in any one of said player boards; a losers board having a plurality of recesses therein, anyone of said playing pieces being receivable in any one of said recesses in said losers board,

. and chance means for determining when one of said,play-" ing pieces is to be placed on one of said player boards and when one of said playing pieces is to be placed on said losers board including indicia on oneface of each said playing piece, said indicia denoting score, bonus and penalty, V f H l 6. A game apparatus including a plurality of player boards having a plurality of recesses in one facethereof,

a losers board having a plurality of recesses in one face thereof, a drawing board having a plurality of recesses in one face thereof,'a first plurality of playing pieces having indicia on one face thereof, any one of said first plurality of playing pieces, by virtueof its shape, being receivable in any one of said recesses in said plurality of player boards and any one of said recesses in said losers 7 ing receivable in one of said plurality of recesses in said' drawing board, a second plurality of playing pieces having indicia on one face thereof, each of said second pluboard, any one of said first plurality of playing pieces berality of playing pieces, by virtue of its shape, being re ceivable in any one of the remaining plurality of recesses in said drawing board, said indicia on said second plural-y ity of playing pieces indicating which player uses each of said player boards, said indicia on said first plurality" of playing pieces indicating score, bonus and penalty.

f References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Albee Nov. 17, 1953 Allen Mar. 3, 1959 

2. GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF PLAYER BOARDS, EACH PLAYER BOARD HAVING SPECIFIC LOCATIONS MARKED ON ITS PLAYING SURFACE; CHANCE MEANS FOR DETERMINING WHICH PLAYER WILL USE EACH OF SAID PLAYER BOARDS; A LOSER''S BOARD HAVING SPECIFIC LOCATIONS MARKED ON ITS PLAYING SURFACE; AND A PLURALITY OF PLAYING PIECES, EACH PLAYING PIECE BEING SHAPED SO AS TO READILY POSITIONABLE AT ANY OF THE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS ON THE PLAYING SURFACE OF ANY OF THE PLURALITY OF PLAYER BOARDS OR OF THE LOSER''S BOARD, AND EACH PLAYING PIECE BEING READILY IDENTIFIABLE AS EITHER A MAJOR PENALTY PIECE, A DOUBLE MAJOR PENALTY PICES, A MINOR PENALTY PIECE, A BONUS PIECE, OR AS A SCORING PIECE BEARING A NUMERICAL INDICATION OF ITS VALUE; AND CHANCE MEANS FOR DETERMINING WHEN A PLAYING PIECE IS TO BE PLACED ON ONE OF SAID PLAYER BOARDS AND WHEN ONE OF SAID PLAYING PIECES IS TO BE PLACED ON SAID LOSER''S BOARD. 